wells



(No Model.)

G. SMITH & J. J. WELLS.

COIN TESTER AND INDICATOR.

No. 259,888. Patented June 18, 1882.

With/saw WMM@ du/w UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GILBERT SMITH AND JOHN J. WELLS, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

COIN TESTER AND INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 259,338, dated June 13, 1882.

Application filed November 14, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom tt may concern:

Be it known that we, GILBERT SMITH and JOHN J. WELLs, citizens of the United States, and residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented a new and useful Coin Tester and Indicator, of which the following is a specification.

The object of our invention is to provide a means whereby spurious coins and coins of short weight may be easily and quickly detected. v

We accomplish this object by the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of the dial with cap for covering the mechanism in position. Fig. 2 is also a front elevation of the dial and stand with cap removed. Fig. 3 is a vertical section in elevation.

Similar letters referto similar parts throughout the several views.

Our indicating-dial A is mounted upon a stand, as shown, and provided with a scale for testing gold coins of the denomination of two dollars and a half, ($25,) ve dollars, ($5,) ten dollars, ($10,) and twenty dollars, ($20,) and the word gold is marked beneath these gures, which iigures and scale occupy about onequarter of the face of the dial. Beneath this gold-scale, above described, we place the scale for silver eoins,which consists of the numerals live, (5,) ten, (10,) twenty, (20,) twenty-tive, (25,) tifty, (50,) and one hundred, (100,) the latter representing one dollar, or one hundred cents, and the former figures from tive cents to titty cents. This scale is designated by the word silver.77

The hands or pointers B B operate on a pin, C, upon the face of the dial, the outer end of which is split to receive a spring, D,whieh latter connects with the arm of the coin-holder E. To the lower end of the arm of the coin-holder is connected a bent piu, n, which operates in a slot made in the pointer or hand Bf, so as to give play tothe coin-holder and take away that rigidity of the parts which a close connection would have or if the arm were permanently iixed to the hand. The upper end of the coinholder is a iiattened piece ot' metal, and is bent over upon itself to form a slot, F, to receive the edge of a coin and retain it in position while being tested.

In practice we make the spring of such tension, and adjust the indicators or hands with reference thereto, that when a genuine piece of coin is put into the receiver or coin-holder the denomination will be registered or in'dicated by one of the pointers or hands upon the dial, either in gold or silver, as the ease may be. piece the silver-indicating hand will point to and be in the exact line with the figure 5 on the dial, and so on from the smallest denomination to the largest, on both the gold and silver scales. Should the coin, however, be counterfeit, or the weight thereof1 be short by reason of its having been tampered with, the hands will fall short of the gures or marks of the scale which the coin represents, and thus show to a certainty that the coin should be rejected.

It will thus be clearly seen that in the use of our device persons who are unskilled in the weight and value of coins will be put on guard against that deception which is now so largely practiced in money exchanges. Y

Having thus described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- I The dial A, provided with goin and su. ver numerals and seales,in combination with the hands, pointers, or indicators operated by a spring, so that when a weight or coin is placed upon the coin receiver or holder the hand will point to that numeral upon the dial that represents the value of the coin placed in the receiver or holder, substantially in the manner as herein set forth and specitied.

2. In a coin tester and indicator, the combination of the dial A with the hands or pointers B, spring D, and coin-holder E, constructed and operating substantially in the manner as herein set forth and specified.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto set our hands this 27th day of October, 1881.

GILBERT SMITH. JOHN J. WELLS. Witnesses:

C. W. M. SMITH, WILMEE BRADFORD.

For instance, if the coin be a tive-cent` 

